Hoop guide



, J. EKLUND HOOP GUIDE April 203-., i926. 1,581,796

Filed June 29 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l WYTN ESSEB April zo, 192s. 1,581,196v

., IVTNESSES.

RSZ'

Patented Apr. Z0, `1926.

UNITED STATES PATENToFFicE.

JOI-IN KLUND, ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO ST. JOSEPH IRON WORKS, 0F ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN.

Hoor suina. Y

Application filed June 29, 1923. Serial 110.648,561.

To all whom t may concern.' t

Be it known that I, JOI-IN EKLUND, a citizen or" the United States, residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Berrien and State 5 of l\/Iichigan, have invented new and use ful Improvements in Hoop Guides, of which the. following is a specification.

My invention aims to provide an improved hoopv guide for basket sta-pling machines, whereby a hoop of the exact length required will be guided straight and will be wound tightly about the edge of the basket preceding the stapling operation.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein I have shown onek embodiment of my invention 'for purpose of illustration,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved hoop guide and so much of a stapling machine as is necessary :tor an understanding ot the invention; Y

Figure 2 is a front view showing less of the stapling l machine than is shown` in Fig. 1; 1

Figure 3 is a pla-n view of the hoop guide,

` with a portion of the stapling machine;

Figure 4 is an inverted plan view of the y finger extension; and Y Figure 5 is an. edge view of the same.

In the particular embodiment of my invention selected for illustration herein and shown in the drawings, there is shown part of an automaticl berry basket stapling machine, including the lower portion of the holder 5, which is revolved intermittently in the direction of the arrow by shaft 7 during the staplingoperation. x

The frame of the machine (not shown) has an extension 9 yproviding a bearing 11 it'oi an adjusting shaft 13, saidshaft being retained inthe bearing 11 preferably by a set screw 15. One end of shaft 13 mounts a` `cast-ing 17 by means of a reduced eccentric end 19, a set screw 21 providing a. convenient means by which casting 17 may be secured lupon, the eccentric end portion 19 of the adjusting shaft` 13. When the casting 17, which with certain associated parts acts l, as a hoop guide, is to be raised or lowered relative to the form 5 upon which the basket stapling head 3, and the basket form orv is stapled, itis only necessary to turn shaft 13 whereupon the eccentric end 19 will vbe turned and the position or' the hoop guide will be adjusted.

The castingr17 has a flange 23 projecting from one face thereof and serving asal-e'dge to guide the hoop strip as it is fed tothe stapling mechanism bythe operator. Pret erably the.upper'surface"oie iiange 23 is approximately on a level with the upperend ofiorm 5 when the casting 17 is adjusted in its uppermost position, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the hoop passes from the guiding flange 23 to the form without considerable bending or change in direction. Should a smaller form be used than the one shown in the drawing, it is va matter requiring but a moments time to lower casting 17 until the flange 23 is approximately on a level with the-top ofthe smallertorm.

Above and beyond the end of iiange 23 the casting 17`inounts a rock shaft 25 revoluble on its axis within the bearing provided bv the casting, and carrying at one end a hoo*I guide finger 27, which turns with the rock shaft. At its extremity the hoopf vguide tinger, which maybe tapering as shown in Fig. 1, has a downturned lug 29 whicliin its normal position may extend belowy the upper o r hoop guiding surface of Hange 23, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2 and lie adjacent the edge of said flange so that a hoop may be guided to the stapling head between the ringer 27 and the casting 17. Secured to the vfinger 27 is an extension piece 31preterably of steel extendingover the basket form and normally restingon the upper side thereof so as to Vbear upon the edge ofthe kbasket carried bythe form', as shown.

rThe extension piece being made of flat` steel is somewhat resilient. It is arranged above and extends from oneside. at an angle and bears upon the basket on the form. y

The finger extension 31 has an enlarge-d end or head 33 with an inclined slot'35 providedtherein. The body kof the extension is preferably about the same widthV as the hoop, but the head overhangsthehoopand engages the body of the basket on the form, as Fig. 3 discloses. One. wall of the slot roun'ded or beveled at 39, and the end of the extension is beveled or rounded at 37 on the under face. (Figs. 4 and 5.) The slot 35 permits the stapling head to drive staples into the hoop, while the latter is held firmly by the finger extension 31, the hoop being held in perfect alinement with the top of the basket until the last staple is driven.

In order to holdv down the guide finger 27 and its extension 31, a spring 41 is preferably used, said spring catching underv a groove (not shown), provided in a projec-l tion 43 of the casting 17 andinade fast at the opposite end to rock 'y shaft 25, as indicated at 45. It is'desirable toy provide means for lifting the guide finger against the resistance of the spring, and one such means as shown may consist of an arm 47`fast at one end to the rock shaft kand projecting into the path of movement of a reciprocable rod 49 whose upper end moves in a bore 51 in the casting and whoseI lower extremity is connected to asuitable operating treadle 53. lVhen the rod .49 is moved upwardly through its connection with the tre-adle, it will strike arm 47 and thus swing the fingervextension 31 away from the form, and alsovswing the lug 29 awayfrom the guiding flange 23,

Ythereby permitting ther operator to remove a finished basket and insert a new hoop or `band into the guide from the side for the subsequent stapliiig operation.k

IInactual practice, when thefootpedal' is depressed, the lug 29 ycloses the open side of the hoop guide and thereby causes the hoop to remain in a straight line .with the top of the basket. When thefoot is removed from the pedal, the vrod 49'rises and effects the operation previously described. Y

lVh-en using a stapling machine equipped with the invention to make a com-mon berry basket, the operator takes a hoopof requisite length and winds it once about the form 5,

a` plurality of catches (not shown) being used to hold rthe hoop temporarily upon the form. This hoop provides the 'inside band of the basket. I have not disclosed this. in detail, as it is not `a part -of my invention and is well known. Then the operator places the basket web or stock in position' over the Aform and over the inside band, allowing the band to come out through one corner, so as to form the outside band and brings the form under the stapling head. The form is then revolved a partial turn, the band being passed around the outside of the basket, and the stapling mechanism is started so as to fasten ltogether the parts of the basket.l in-v cluding the inside and outside bands, which are formed of one continuous piece. As the "form is automatically revolved step by step,

the stapling is repeated, each partial rotation of the form kdrawing the hoop through the guide, and the finger extension 33 always holding the hoop firmly against thev basket Vedge 3701i the end of the extension should be thel saine or ef slightly greater' width thanthe hoop, and itv keeps the hoop back against the top edge of the forni.

In making a berry basket, it is desirable that the hoop or band be drawn tightly about the. basket stock in order that the resulta-nt basketp'be neat and strong with no bulge at the corners of the basket. It is'also desirable that the end of the hoop or band be prevented from springing up above the top of,` -the basket, or down below the line in which the staples are driven, otherwise an unsightly or even an uiiiiiarketable basket will be made. The hoop guide described above `and shown in the drawing will guide a hoop in a straight line. will draw it 'tightly around a basket, and'will enable the operator to use hoops of the exact length required. This represents a distinct advantage over certain known types of hoop guides in using which y.hoops must be employedkwhich extend beyond the corners of the baskety in order that the hoops may be held inthe guides until last staples are driven. Y n

My invention obviously is notrestricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein illustrated and described, which'may be varied in forim size andrdetails of construction within the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat is claimedis2- .e f i 1. A hoop guide for basket stapling niacliines having a resiliently mounted hoop holding extension provided-with a head, which extendsaround the staple driver and rests oirthe hoop prior to .and during the driving of the staple, and holds the hoop firmly against the basket where the stapling yis done, said guide and extensionbeing adhoop substantially flat against the .basket prior to and durin-g the driving of the staple, and means carrying the hoop guide and its hoop holding extension and adjustable to vary the positio-n of said guide.

4. A hoop guide for basket stapling machines having a hoop holding extension extending around the staple driver to hold the hoop substantially fiat against the basket prior to and during the driving of the staple, a spring forcing the extension against the basket, and means controlled by the operator for lifting the extension off the basket.

5. A hoop guide. i'or basket stapling machines, comprising a casting secured to the frame of the machine, a guiding finger pivotally mounted on the casting, and cooperating means on the finger and casting for guiding the hoop to the basket form.

G. A hoop guide for basket stapling machines comprising a casting secured to the frame ofl the machine, said casting having a hoop guiding flange, and a guiding finger' swingably mounted on the casting above the fiange and having a depending lug extending to one.' side of and close to the flange to provide with the casting and liange a guide for the hoop.

7. A hoop guide for basket stapling machines comprising a casting secured to the frame of the machine, a guiding finger pivotally mounted on the casting, and cooperating means on the finger and casting for guiding the hoop to the basket form, said guiding finger having' an extension which bears against the hoopand holds the hoop down against the basket stock prior to and during the stapling operation.

S. A hoop guide. for basket stapling machines, comprising a casting secured to the frame of' the machine, a rock shaft revoluble in the casting, a hoop guide finger turning on the rock shaft, a guiding flange for the hoop on the casting, a lug on the guide finger normally extending below the guiding flange, an extension on the guide finger which bears against the hoop, a spring for holding the guide finger with said lug down and the extension in engagement with the hoop, and means for raising they said extension above the form and swinging the lug away from the guiding flange, thereby permitting the operator to remove a finished basket and insert a new hoop into the guide.

9. A hoop holding member for basket stapling machines pivotally mounted to one side of and above the basket form and having a substantially liat enlarged end provided with a slot therein through which the staple driving means may operate, said member holding the hoop firmly against the basket Where the stapling is being done.

lO. A hoop guide for basket stapling machines comprising a casting secured to the frame of the machine, a guiding finger pivotally mounted on the casting, and an extension carried by the :finger and having an enlarged end or head with a slot therein, said extension holding the hoop firmly against the basket where the stapling is being done.

1l. A hoop guide for basket stapling machines, having a hoop holding extension resilient-ly mounted thereon to hold the hoop substantially flat against the basket prior to and during the driving of the staple, said extension having a substantially flat enlarged head with an inclined slot therein through which the staple driving means may operate, said slot extending diagonally across the hoop band. l

12. A hoop guide for basket stapling machines, having a. hoop holding extension to hold the hoop substantially fiat against the Vbasket prior' to and during the driving of the staple, said extension having a substantially flat enlarged head with an inclined slot therein through which the staple driving means may operate, one wall of' the slot being rounded, and the end of said extension presenting guard means to prevent lateral displacement of the hoop.

13. A hoop guide for basket stapling machines, having a hoop holdingextension to hold the hoop substantially flat against the basket prior to and during the driving of the staple, said extension having a substantially fiat enlarged head with an inclinedk slot therein through which the staple driving means may operate, the end of the extension being beveled or rounded on the hoop engaging face, and the beveled or rounded part being oi' a width no less than the hoop.

1li. A hoop guide for basket stapling machines comprising a casting secured to the frame of the machine, a guiding finger pivotally mounted on the casting, and an extension carried by the finger and having an enlarged end or head with a slot therein, said slot being inclined and having one wall beveled or rounded, the end of the extension being also beveled or rounded.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing JOHN EKLUND.

llO 

